APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

A-P-H-O-T-O Wildlife Stock Image Library
Metavermilia arctica Kupriyanova, 1993 - A serpulid worm (Marine worm images)
Scroll down and rollover titles to change screen image or click on title to view image.
Keeled tubeworm
Metavermilia arctica
- worm tube 1

Keeled tubeworm
Metavermilia arctica
- worm tube 2

Keeled tubeworm
Metavermilia arctica
- with 1.0mm division scale 1

Keeled tubeworm
Metavermilia arctica
- dorsal view mouth of tube 1

Keeled tubeworm
Metavermilia arctica
- worm tube sculpturing 1

Keeled tubeworm
Metavermilia arctica
- lateral view of worm tube 1

Keeled tubeworm
Metavermilia arctica
- mouth of tube 1

The specimen above was one of three specimens found on the interior surface of a 750mm Bigfoot Traffic Cone that had been trawled up by an inshore fishing boat based at Newlyn Marina, Newlyn, Cornwall. 30.07.16.

Material was sent to Dr. Elena Kupriyanova, Senior Research Scientist at the Australian Museum Research Institute for identification as the tube as it did not appear to be Metavermilia multicristata, which is known to occur around the UK. Metavermilia arctica fitted better but had not been recorded here.

Dr. Elena Kupriyanova, who authored Metavermilia arctica, looked at the tube and is fairly sure it is Metavermilia arctica but also said, of course, one can only be 100% sure when the specimen is available, not only its empty tube.

Therefore it is very likely to be Metavermilia arctica, but this can only be confirmed on finding the worm.

Metavermilia arctica serpulid family serpulidae Keeled Tubeworm marine worm images
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.